Assessing postural sway in virtual or augmented reality

Abstract

A virtual or augmented reality based tracking system for assessment of postural sway is provided. In various embodiments, positional data are collected from a user from a headset and/or one or more hand sensors. The positional data is processed to determine the center of mass of the user. In determining of the center of mass, positional data may be given a higher or lower weight compared to other positional data. A virtual reality environment is presented to the user through the headset and may be altered to simulate unbalancing of the user. The raw position data and center of mass are sent to a remote server. A report of user sway is generated from the center of mass. Nausea reduction may be implemented by narrowing a field of vision of the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 providing a virtual environment to a user via a virtual or augmented reality system, the virtual reality system comprising a head-mounted display; 
 collecting positional information of the user, wherein collecting positional information comprises collecting positional information of the head-mounted display; 
 determining a center of mass of the user from the positional information; and determining a user sway metric from the center of mass, wherein determining the user sway metric comprises computing a standard deviation of the center of mass from a predetermined baseline. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein collecting positional information comprises collecting positional information of a first hand sensor and a second hand sensor. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising altering the virtual environment to simulate an unbalancing of the user by moving a horizon in a predetermined direction. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , further comprising narrowing a field of vision of the user while altering the environment. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining the user sway metric comprises assigning a first weight to positional information of the head mounted display, assigning a second weight to positional information of the first hand sensor, and assigning a third weight to positional information of the second hand sensor. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first weight, the second weight, and the third weight are equal. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first weight, the second weight, and the third weight are different. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first weight is greater than the second weight and the third weight. 
     
     
       9. A system comprising:
 a virtual or augmented reality display adapted to display a virtual environment to a user, the virtual reality display comprising a head-mounted display; 
 a computing node comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor of the computing node to cause the processor to perform a method comprising:
 collecting positional information of the user, wherein collecting positional information comprises collecting positional information of the head-mounted display; 
 determining a center of mass of the user from the positional information; and 
 determining a user sway metric from the center of mass, wherein determining the user sway metric comprises computing a standard deviation of the center of mass from a predetermined baseline. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9 , the system further comprising a first hand sensor and a second hand sensor, wherein collecting positional information comprises collecting positional information of the first hand sensor and the second hand sensor. 
     
     
       11. A computer program product for assessing postural sway, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform a method comprising:
 collecting positional information of a user, wherein collecting positional information comprises collecting positional information of the head-mounted display; 
 determining a center of mass of the user from the positional information; and 
 determining a user sway metric from the center of mass, wherein determining the user sway metric comprises computing a standard deviation of the center of mass from a predetermined baseline. 
 
     
     
       12. The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein collecting positional information comprises collecting positional information of a first hand sensor and a second hand sensor. 
     
     
       13. The computer program product of  claim 11 , the program instructions further executable by the processor to alter the virtual environment to simulate an unbalancing of the user by moving a horizon in a predetermined direction. 
     
     
       14. The computer program product of  claim 13 , the program instructions further executable by the processor to narrow a field of vision of the user while altering the environment. 
     
     
       15. The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein determining the user sway metric comprises assigning a first weight to positional information of the head mounted display, assigning a second weight to positional information of the first hand sensor, and assigning a third weight to positional information of the second hand sensor. 
     
     
       16. The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the first weight, the second weight, and the third weight are equal. 
     
     
       17. The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the first weight, the second weight, and the third weight are different. 
     
     
       18. The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the first weight is greater than the second weight and the third weight.